A Japanese government think tank has warned that the de facto alliance between China, Russia and North Korea risks creating a 'new world order' that could force Tokyo to confront a three-front security contingency. The report, released by the National Institute for Defence Studies, highlights growing strategic coordination among the three nations, despite internal imbalances.
The report notes that while no formal military alliance exists, the three countries have built a coordinated relationship functioning as a strategic bloc. It warns that joint military exercises and patrols by China and Russia, alongside North Korea's advancing nuclear capabilities, could create 'worrisome situations for Japan'. The authors urge policymakers to prepare for a world where China exerts greater influence, Russia remains unpredictable, and North Korea operates with increased confidence.
Relations between Japan and China have deteriorated sharply, with new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi facing controversy after suggesting a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing demanded a retraction and advised citizens against travel to Japan, leading to mass cancellations that could harm the world's fourth-largest economy.
The report also quotes analysts warning that North Korea's nuclear development could trigger a 'domino effect', leading to the nuclearisation of Japan and South Korea and the collapse of the international non-proliferation regime. It notes that the three leaders—Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin—stood together for the first time at a military parade in Beijing on 3 September, signalling enhanced trilateral strategic coordination.
The report concludes that Northeast Asia may see an intensification of bloc confrontation, with Japan, the US and South Korea pitted against China, Russia and North Korea. It warns that Japan must now prepare for simultaneous pressure from all three states, stretching its defences in ways not seen since the Cold War.
